The Heart Collector
by Dr.Lust
Summary: post-movie: The Heart Collector assignment is a peculiar one; it demands a change of rules. Van Helsing has to comply, but when he sets out for the mission, he can't imagine that for the success of it he might need to be turned from hunter to victim...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**_ Hello everyone! This is a new story by me, and it's going to be centered on Van Helsing and some OCs. It is post-movie and the year is 1890. All in all, it will be an adventure, there will be some secrets, some drama, some violence, and maybe some romance. I have the basic outline in my head and I'll decide about the details in the process. I don't know how long I'll make it, but it's probably not going to be too long. I came up with the idea months ago, and I had actually written a draft of the first two chapters long ago, but I never came to work on it seriously. But now I did and the first chapter is here! You know, or you don't, how it is with me and the updates, so I will ask for your patience once more. Thanks for reading, and I'd appreciate it a lot if you reviewed!_

**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own anything that you recognize; everything else is mine. Also, the title of the story is a song by Nevermore, and it served as the source of my inspiration._

**The Heart Collector**

Chapter 1

Van Helsing stormed out of the confessionary and down the flight of stair that led into the peculiar large room that served as the Holy Order's chemistry lab and armory. Cardinal Jinette had just announced to him his new assignment, and the hunter was irritated by the unexpected change of rules. The Cardinal followed him non-hurriedly; he knew that as soon as the hunter heard the details of the mission, he would have no choice but to compromise.

"I don't need a partner!" Van Helsing fumed.

"This is going to be different", Jinette argued. "You will need a certain partner for the assignment. Why don't you just calm your fury and listen to me?" he called to Van Helsing, who came to a stop and turned to the older man with furrowed eyebrows.

"How is it going to be different? It's just another witch. Witches, gargoyles, warlocks… they are all the same-"

"I know how you view your enemies", he interrupted him. "Killing them is not what we seek, and we are not pleased with your methods", he told him sharply and eyed him hard. Van Helsing returned the gaze. Then the Cardinal turned his back to the hunter. "However, I will not speak about this matter now", he said and placed his hands on a table, bowing his head thoughtfully. Van Helsing stood there, staring at him with hard eyes.

"You said it's going to be different. How?" he inquired, trying to speak in a bit more conciliatory manner.

"The story begins eight years ago, in northern Spain… Are you familiar with the Cantabrian Mountains?" Jinette asked him without really expecting an answer. He turned and nodded to a monk to start the projector. The picture of a map of northern Spain was projected on the wall. "The witch dwells deep in the foggy forests of this mountain range... Her human name is Elvira, but for the local people she is the Heart Collector", he said with emphasis and turned his eyes to Van Helsing.

"The Heart Collector?" the hunter wondered and narrowed his eyes.

"Yes… this name is given to her because of her despicable acts. She literally collects hearts of men. However, we don't know for what purpose."

"Regardless of her purpose, I can handle this myself. I don't need a partner. And I don't like working with others", Van Helsing growled, bringing the subject back to where it began.

"My good son, there is no doubt that you are by far the best of our agents", the Cardinal started in a softer tone, trying to coax him, "and this is why the Order trusts you to carry out this mission. But the problem in this case is… that you are a man", he concluded. Van Helsing raised an eyebrow in surprise and disbelief.

"How is that a problem?" he demanded.

"The Heart Collector's victims are exclusively men… Every man that has fallen prey to her has been discovered dead, with a horrid hole on the left side of their chest…" Cardinal Jinette said and there was uneasiness in his voice. Pictures of some of the victims were projected and both the men looked at them with aversion. "We do not know her methods, because no one that ever got close to her lived to tell the tale. However, it is quite obvious that she uses her witchcraft to achieve her goals…" he explained.

"How do we know that she is a witch in the first place?" the hunter wondered.

"For this we are certain. There are registrations about her in our archives, starting about ten years ago. Some sources mention that she grew up as an orphan, others that her husband abandoned her, and others that she killed her own parents as a child, but none of these is confirmed… The local church tried to do something for this unfortunate soul, so she was taken in by the nuns," Jinette narrated. "There are various accusatory reports by the nuns, but the most serious one comes from the abbess herself. She accuses Elvira of godlessness and witchcraft, and she also mentions having found evidence of her unholy actions. Witchcraft is the official reason she was expelled from the nunnery and exiled from the local community", he stated. "Deep in the Cantabrian Mountains is where she found refuge, and soon after she was exiled she became known as the Heart Collector", the Cardinal concluded.

Right then a picture of Elvira was projected on the wall. She was portrayed in her mid twenties, probably some time before she was exiled, as a voluptuous woman with thick long tresses and large, intense eyes. Van Helsing stared at the picture and narrowed his eyes.

"So this is the so-called Heart Collector… I can now guess what kind of methods she uses to approach her victims, other than her witchcraft…" he commented in a low voice. Then he turned to Jinette. "As much as her story is interesting and her actions evil, it still doesn't explain the necessity of a partner you claimed. And I don't see how some of those braggarts will make a difference. How will it be different if it's two men instead of one?" the hunter voiced his objections.

"It will be different, because it is not going to be two men. Your partner, Van Helsing, will be a woman", the Cardinal said seriously and looked Van Helsing in the eye.

"What? A woman?"

"Yes, a woman. You might be our most competent agent, but you are a man. And you already guessed Elvira's methods, like you said", he spat with some hint of sarcasm. "We cannot risk failure of the assignment if she uses her methods on you. You are too valuable to go wasted like that," Jinette said and his words earned him a stern look by Van Helsing, which he ignored. "The only way to ensure the success of the mission would be to assign it to a woman, but it is too dangerous for a woman alone. This is why you are going with her."

"Who is it then?" the hunter asked in concealed frustration.

"Her name is Livia D'Angelo-"

"D'Angelo?" the hunter interrupted the Cardinal as the name ringed familiar to his ears.

"Yes… She is the sister of Enrico D'Angelo, an agent of ours, who went missing three years ago, while on an assignment in Poland. Livia took his place in the Order shortly after his disappearance. She is one of the few female agents we have, and, I assure you, the best of them", Jinette explained briefly.

"I've never met any of the female agents, neither have I known of their existence. I see secrecy is where you excel, Cardinal, even if it's about the members of the Order", Van Helsing commented with a raised eyebrow and palpable sarcasm in his tone.

"I do not need to explain my decisions to you", the older man replied sharply and turned his back to the hunter. "And now I suggest that you meet with your partner and start getting ready for the mission. She is already informed about it and waiting for you in the library. You are leaving tomorrow morning", Jinette concluded and walked away from the hunter. Van Helsing snorted in irritation and then headed for the library.

x x x

Livia D'Angelo was sitting on a wooden stool in a corner of the large library's hall, far from the monks that were totally absorbed in their reading of various books. She didn't seem to pay any attention to them at all. Instead, her eyes were fixed on a dagger she was holding in her hands, and her eyebrows were furrowed; she was trying to fix something in its handle. She looked to be totally concentrated on what she was doing, as her deep green eyes were focused on the dagger, but in fact her senses were alert.

A few minutes later footsteps were heard along the corridor that led into the library's main room. Livia noticed that it wasn't the soft steps of a monk, but heavy, steady steps that could belong only to a man wearing boots.

As soon as he entered the room, she lifted her eyes and looked towards the person that had just entered. She eyed him curiously. She hadn't seen him before, but she wasn't surprised by the fact; the quarters of male and female agents were in different places, they were usually assigned different kinds of missions, they rarely met, and most didn't even know the existence of the rest. It all served the Order's line of secrecy that Cardinal Jinette fought so hard to preserve.

Livia's eyes traveled over the man's figure. He was exceptionally tall and imposing, clad in a black leather coat and holding a wide-brimmed black fedora in his hand. His brown hair came in untamed waves to his shoulders, and his features seemed hard, but at the same time gentle. He wasn't looking in her direction, but he was apparently searching for someone.

Livia smiled to herself and slowly stood up, picking up her hat that was resting on her knee. True enough, he made some impression on her, but she was not a woman to be easily affected by what she saw. She walked steadily towards the man, coming to stand a couple of meters from him.

"Looking for someone?" she asked him with a smile, arms crossed across her stomach and her weight resting on her left hip.

Van Helsing turned to the direction of the female voice. It belonged to a young woman, probably in her middle twenties, who was looking at him with interest and with a smile on her face. She was rather tall, and her dark wavy hair was gathered back loosely, while her olive green eyes were staring at him with interest. She was wearing a sand-colored short dress over dark brown riding breeches that disappeared into her knee-high brown boots. A dark brown leather corset and a jacket that reached just above her waist and was of the same color and material as her corset completed her apparel. In her right hand she was holding a brownish fedora that resembled his own. A long saber was hanging from her belt, while a revolver was holstered against her other hip.

"You must be Livia D'Angelo", he acknowledged her in a firm tone.

"I am", she confirmed with a nod of her head, and with a swift move she tucked the dagger she was earlier trying to fix under the laces of her boot. "And you must be Van Helsing", she presumed. He nodded.

"Cardinal Jinette informed me that we are going to be partners for the Heart Collector assignment. I'm not used to working with others, but I hope we will cooperate. The last thing I need is Jinette's scorn about disobedience", he told her rather grudgingly, trying to hide his discomfort.

"Hmm... I see the Cardinal has been quite insistent", she commented and flashed him a brief smile. "Well, I'm not used to working with a partner either. But we'll work on it", she said and flashed him another smile full of confidence. Van Helsing had already started to dislike this woman's air of arrogance, but he had no choice but to cope with her for the sake of the mission's success.

"He told you about our target, didn't he? Are you sure you can do this? It's not going to be easy", he warned her.

"I'm not scared, if that's what you are implying. And if you are concerned about your own safety, given the peculiarity of the case, don't worry. I will protect you", she replied with a chuckle. Van Helsing clenched his jaw muscles and gave her a hard look, but he didn't comment on her words. Instead he chose to change the subject.

"Jinette demands that we leave tomorrow morning. Have you picked your weapons yet?" he asked her.

"Oh yes, I'm almost done. Just a few additions remaining", she answered him.

"Alright. Let's go and finish then", he suggested and both of them made for the armory.

For the next few hours they were examining and choosing what weapons they considered more suitable for being used against their specific target. Carl handed them a couple of newly-invented weapons that might come in handy, and wished them good luck, feeling more than relieved that he didn't have to take part in another outrageous mission. After the two hunters were ready they retired to their quarters and arranged to meet in the stables at first light of the following day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:**_ Now that's a fast update isn't it? I received some positive response for chapter 1, which made me sit down and work on the draft I had for chapter 2. I'm pretty pleased with the outcome- and I rarely say that- so I hope you will like it too. Great thanks to all who reviewed!_

_And a short note: the word "miele" that is used in this chapter is Italian and means "honey"._

**The Heart Collector**

Chapter 2

Livia hurriedly put on her leather jacket and her fedora and made for the stables. The chilly breeze grazed her face and made her shiver. It was still quite dark, as the sun had not risen yet, and the first dim light of the day could not do much to shake off her sleepiness that was still present. She pulled her jacket and scarf tighter around her and quickened her pace. A few moments later she entered the stables. Van Helsing was already there, arranging his black horse's reins.

"You're late", he remarked without looking at her.

"No I'm not", she snapped and approached her horse. It was a honey-colored mare.

"Yes you are", he insisted with a raised eyebrow but with a hint of amusement in his manner.

"I'm not going to do this…" she replied in an undertone and rolled her eyes. The she started arranging the saddle and the reins. Van Helsing seemed to do the same.

"What's her name?" he asked.

"What?" she turned to him totally surprised.

"Your mare. I've seen the horse sometimes. I didn't know she was yours", he commented.

"Well, technically, you didn't know I even existed up till yesterday", she scoffed.

"That's not my fault", he defended himself.

"Her name is Miele", she responded, choosing to drop the previous issue. Van Helsing grinned as he found the name totally fitting to its carrier.

For the next few minutes they were occupied with arranging their provisions, weapons, blankets and other necessary stuff on the horses' backs. It didn't take them long to get ready.

"Are you ready yet?" Van Helsing asked the huntress.

"I am. Let's go", she suggested and they both mounted their horses and rode away.

The rising of the solar disk found them in the outskirts of Rome, riding north-west. It was early spring, and the nature's rebirth had just begun, but the cold wind that was blowing was evidence of winter's persistent lingering.

The two riders rode side by side across the Italian countryside. Livia had her thick woolen scarf pulled tight around her neck and her hat low over her forehead, trying to block off the cold wind and the bright morning light. Van Helsing, on the other hand, seemed rather unaffected by the cold weather.

"It's cold…" she said, trying to open a conversation with her partner.

"It could have been worse. Cold wind is better than cold rain", he remarked.

"You've got a point…" she commented. "So, what's your name, Mr. Van Helsing?" she asked him a few minutes later. "You do have a name…"

"It's Gabriel, I suppose", he said with a short grin, uttering the last words in a low voice.

"You suppose? What does that mean?" she inquired, her curiosity taking the best of her.

"It's a long story", he replied dryly, his tone revealing that he was not willing to discuss this further. "I have heard of your brother, Enrico D'Angelo. I'm sorry for his disappearance", he told her, changing the subject.

"He will return, someday. I don't believe he has died", she said, her head always held high and her gaze hard, fixed on the horizon.

Van Helsing nodded in understanding and lowered his head a bit, bringing his horse to a slower trot. Livia eyed him curiously, but she chose not to speak as he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

It was sunset when they decided to stop and make camp for the night. They had already entered the region of Tuscany and crossed many of its interesting and low-altitude landscapes. They were heading north-west, towards the river Arno and the city of Florence, where the two hunters would be able to renew their supplies and take a proper rest. After Florence the scenery would become mountainous as they would have to cross the Apennines until their next supply-stop which would be the city of Bologna. Then they would ride on into France.

The two partners lit a fire for the night, and after they had eaten something and prepared their blankets, they sat close to the fire. Livia was being silent, tossing every now and then some broken wooden stick into the hungry flames. Van Helsing felt the necessity to communicate with this strange woman who was his partner, after all these endless hours of silence. He was hoping that his initial dislike of her would change for the better.

"So, you're from Italy?" he asked her.

"Yes… Originally from Sicily, from my father's side", she replied, her eyes still fixed on the fire.

"How did you find yourself in Rome, then?" he wondered, his eyes searching her face.

"I have always lived in Rome. It all started when my grandfather joined the Holy Order. He worked for the Order as a scientist, inventing new weapons", she said and tossed another wooden stick into the fire, her eyes never meeting his. "His son, my father, was trained from his youth to be an agent. He met my mother during an assignment in Venice. They fell in love, they got married, and she moved to Rome. The Order agreed to accept her and train her as an agent. I think she was the first female agent…" Livia said and glanced at Gabriel. He was listening to her with interest. Her words instantly gave birth to a question on why the Order accepted a woman so easily, and all the more train her as an agent, since there hadn't been any female agents before her, but he decided against asking Livia about it. "So my brother and I were born and grew up in Rome. This is how it is", she concluded and a pause followed her words.

"What about your parents? Do they still work for the Order?" he asked her.

"No. They're dead. They were killed in a vampire ambush in Hungary when I was fifteen, and my brother went missing when I was twenty-two. That's three years since then", she replied with evident sadness in her voice.

"I'm sorry about your family…" he told her with a trace of compassion in his tone, while his mind traveled two years ago, to Transylvania and to Anna Valerious. The gypsy princess bore a resemblance to Livia as to having lost her family. Her memory hurt him like a sting. He lowered his eyes, hoping to keep his emotional distress hidden.

"I'm proud of them. They died fighting for a holy purpose", she told him with a faint smile. "And I told you, I believe that my brother will return someday", she said and her green eyes glowed with the firelight.

"So was it your brother's disappearance that led you into joining the Order?" Van Helsing wondered.

"Well, even though I wasn't officially a member of the Order before that, my parents and my brother had trained me well as an agent since I was little. The Order knew this, and I would often assist my brother in his missions, though unofficially. So I simply took his place after he went missing", Livia explained.

"Are you saying that there is no personal reason involved in your joining the Order?" he insisted.

"It's what my family did. It's what they fought and died for. It's personal reason enough, I think", she replied a bit sharply.

"You said you believe your brother is alive. Aren't you thinking of searching for him? Don't you wish to find out what happened to him?" he went on.

"You ask too many questions, don't you think? And it's not your place", she told him with a stern look and they assessed each other for a long moment. "Let's here about you now. Why do you do this job?" she counter-asked him.

"I don't really know…" he answered and shrugged, pulling back. She noticed his hesitation. "I'm supposed to heed the call, as Cardinal Jinette keeps reminding me", he added.

"So isn't there any personal reason to it?" Livia insisted.

"I don't know anymore… Maybe I don't care to know anymore. There was a time when I was searching for answers, but this time has ended. You see, some things are better left forgotten", he told her and his words caused a puzzled expression to form on her face.

"I don't really understand what you mean. What is it you prefer to forget?" she wondered.

"A lot of things", he answered dryly and turned his eyes away from hers.

They didn't speak for the rest of the night. Both felt that they had said enough for a first day. Pulling the blankets tight around their bodies, they managed to fall asleep, while the silver moon governed the night sky.

x x x

The following couple of days went by in the same manner, with the two partners riding across the countryside of Tuscany and making camp at night. Their conversation all this time was limited to the few words that were absolutely necessary to be said. Both of them remained distant, keeping their thoughts and secrets to themselves, and apparently not being very fond of each other.

His unwillingness to open himself to her was obvious to Livia. And she couldn't give him wrong for that. She wasn't very much different either. The fact that they were partners in their job did not mean that they were friends as well. But his behavior, his tendency to seclusion, and this melancholy in his eyes that never went away made the young woman think that he kept inside him painful secrets. She was starting to believe that beneath the surface of the unflappable monster hunter lay a tormented soul, and she was wondering what might have happened in his past that led him to build up such strong defenses. Judging by her own self, she believed that strong defenses are built by people who have been deeply hurt, or by those who keep dangerous secrets. So, that night and after they had dinner, the huntress decided to put aside precaution and defenses and talk to him.

"Gabriel…" she started, and he immediately turned his eyes to her. She hadn't called him Gabriel so far. In fact, they hadn't even called each other's name at all. "Look… all these days we are riding together, and we have a difficult mission ahead of us. I don't think this demeanor of non-communication helps us at all. In terms on cooperation, of course…" she started, wavering in the end. He eyed her curiously.

"What precisely do you mean?" he inquired.

"I mean that since we need to work together, we have to find a way to communicate. We have to talk", she responded.

"Talk about what?" he asked. Livia felt that he didn't make things any easier. On the contrary, he was making it all harder.

"Why do you always have to be so negative?" she complained, but there was no irritation in her tone.

"Always? You don't even know me", he said dryly.

"I'm trying to", she told him sincerely. She sounded rather disappointed, and Van Helsing noticed that. His facial expression grew lighter, less tense.

"I'm not used to working with others or talking with people about things", he explained himself. "But since it's different this time... alright", he consented with a small grin. Livia smiled briefly. For a moment they were just looking into each other's eyes, before they both turned their gazes elsewhere.

"We are reaching Florence tomorrow. Have you ever been there before?" she asked him, trying to start a casual conversation.

"I've been to many places. Florence is one of them", he replied.

"The last time I went to Florence was five years ago, with my brother. Our assignment wasn't an easy one. We had to find and vanquish a vampire clan that plagued the city. Fortunately we were successful, but the vampire mistress did leave her mark on me", she told him and pulled her scarf and hair aside, revealing a scar of a puncture on her neck.

"Did she bite you?" he asked her, obviously intrigued.

"She almost did, but she fell dead before sucking my blood and turning me into a vampire. I was quite lucky", she said and smiled. "Have you ever faced a vampire? I assume you have, since you have the reputation of being the best of the Order's agents", she told him a little teasingly, curious to see how he would react.

"Hmm…" he said with a rather narcissistic smile. Livia watched his eyes glow with amusement at her comment, confirming her assumption that Van Helsing thought too much of himself. "I have faced vampires many times. The last one was two years ago, in Transylvania…" he said and the memories threatened for once more to overwhelm his otherwise well-controlled emotion.

"Dracula?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes. We killed him, but it wasn't easy", he said a bit miserably.

"You said "we". Did you have a partner?" she wondered.

"Kind of. I was to aid princess Valerious and her brother in their fight against Dracula", Van Helsing stated, and him mentioning a princess ringed a bell in Livia's ears. Could it be this woman he was hurting for?

"What was the princess's name?" she asked him with an innocent look.

"Anna", he replied. His eyes were lost, his mind traveling back to the night he kissed her for the first and last time.

"Did Anna and her brother help you to fight Dracula?" she asked trying to find out more about this story of his past.

"Her brother was turned into a werewolf before I arrived. Anna and I joined forces to fight the vampire and his brides", he explained.

"So she was a warrior, hmm?" Livia concluded rather than actually asked.

"A warrior, and a very stubborn one", he said and looked at her with brief amusement.

"I bet she was beautiful", Livia said and quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes, she was", he admitted and turned his eyes to the black horizon. A pause followed; Livia respected his moment and remained silent for a few minutes. It was obvious now to her that the hunter once had feelings for the princess.

"So… what happened in the end? Where is she now?" she finally asked.

"She's dead. I killed her", Van Helsing replied, trying to keep his voice steady. He looked at Livia, and she could see that there was guilt and remorse in his eyes, but for his fighting to give her an emotionless look. She was taken aback by his reply and shrugged.

"You killed her?" she gasped.

"I wasn't in control of myself. I was…" his voice trailed off, leaving the phrase incomplete. He averted his eyes from hers.

"I'm sorry…" she told him and lowered her eyes. "I know how it is to lose someone you… someone you care for", she told him in a consoling manner.

Van Helsing didn't respond to her comment. Instead, he turned and lay down without speaking another word to her. Livia watched him for a while; she realized she had touched his most sensitive side, and it clearly was not easy for him. She let him keep the details of the story to himself. After all, it was not her place.

A little later and after adding some wood to the fire, she lay down and gazed at the black sky. The silver moon would be full in a couple of days. For her imagination it was a ghostly galleon tossed upon the cloudy seas. She had always liked to stargaze and watch the moon, especially in summer nights. Her mind traveled back many years, to her childhood, when her grandfather would take her and her brother to spend the summer in Sicily. The sweet aroma of jasmine mixed with the scent of origan and the sea breeze was still vibrant in her senses. How much she yearned for those carefree summers of happiness, those long-lost summers of happiness… The sweet memory of her childhood and loving family came along with a silent tear and a bittersweet smile on her face. Quickly she wiped away the tear and turned on her right, propping herself on her elbow, her back turned to Van Helsing. A chilly wind had picked up, so she pulled the blanket tighter around her, and then took out a yellowish paper from a secret pocket inside her jacket. Under the flickering light of the fire she started reading it. Another tear ran down her cheek, and she let out a sigh; she stared at the paper for several minutes without really looking at it; she felt her mind was blank now, torn asunder between the joy of her past and the sorrow of her present. But she had no choice. The secret had to be kept at all costs. Letting out another small sigh, she folded the paper carefully and placed it back to its hiding place. Then she closed her weary eyes and allowed sleep to take over her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:** _Hello everyone! This is the third chapter of the story, where I introduce the villain. Be prepared for an unconventional approach. More explanations are given after the end of the chapter. I thank everyone who took the time to review the story so far! I hope you will enjoy the chapter as it took great effort and some research to write._

**The Heart Collector**

Chapter 3

A horrendous, agonizing cry of pain broke the silence of the night, scaring a night owl away from the tree branch it was roosting on. A body fell on the ground with a thump. Right then shrill, triumphant laughter was heard; it belonged to the half-dressed figure of a woman. She was holding something in her gloved hands, apart from a knife. It was a bleeding heart.

She tilted her head upwards and glanced at the moon that would be full in a couple of days. She laughed again and danced a circle around herself with her arms raised high, while the dead body lay beside her feet. She didn't seem to care, though. Turning to it, she spoke.

"Oh, you look so charming in death, my dearest! I could never imagine death would suit you so much! Look at your eyes, they are almost grey now! And your chest, do you love me better now? Do you love me better without a heart?" she exclaimed with an unnatural joy and laughed again. "Oh, and She will be so pleased… so pleased!" she chuckled and quickly buried the man's heart in the sack she was carrying. Then she wiped away the blood from her knife and tucked it beneath the laces of her bodice. Soon she was done, and it was time she returned to her hide. Quickly she pulled on her dress and fastened the laces, and covered her reddish hair with her veil. Not giving the dead man a second glance, she turned and walked away slowly, making her way proudly among the trees, with her head held high.

A little later she came and stood before a wooden door. Smiling to herself in confidence, she unlocked it with a smooth wave of her hand and gave it a gentle push; it opened with a low creak. Her purple, flimsy veil fell on the dirty floor soundlessly, and she didn't care. She reached beside the door and with another wave of her hand she lit an oil lamp. The dim light produced by it gave some sort of life to the otherwise grim room. It was not small, but the variety of objects and furniture, most of them damaged and useless, made it look particularly cramped and the air close. There was a dusty desk in a corner with a single chair next to it. An ink container and some papers lay on the desk, while numerous candles had forever stained its surface with their melted wax. Opposite the desk and fixed on the stone wall were some wooden shelves, some of which held books and others jars and bottles of various sizes, shapes and colors, as well as content. There was a relatively large closet standing against the other wall opposite the desk's right side. In the other end of the room lay a narrow bed, covered with a holey green blanket. Every corner of the room was a spider's paradise, with their nets expanding unhinderedly in every possible direction.

"Welcome home, Elvira", a low, crispy voice greeted her.

"Ah Cat, there you are. For a moment I thought you were gone", she responded.

"Gone? As if you don't know I'll never be gone, Elvira. However, I still wonder why you call me Cat", the voice commented.

"I don't know. I am a witch, and since you are my companion, it feels right to me that I call you Cat", she tried to justify the irrationality.

"But I am no cat", said Cat remarked, its voice betraying no protest.

"What are you then?" Elvira asked it.

"Don't you know?" the Cat mocked her. It seemed to the witch that it was holding back laughter. "I am Someone and None. I am False and Real. I am Above you and Below you. I am Inside you and Outside you. I Rule you and I Serve you. I am your sole companion, I am Her messenger, I am your guide", the Cat stated in an imposing voice. "What am I?" it demanded.

"You are my sole companion, you are Her messenger, you are my guide", she repeated in a submissive tone.

"That's right, Elvira… But, come tell me now, what do you have there?" the Cat inquired.

"Oh there, there I have another heart! Do you want to see it? Shall I show it to you?" she chimed, her mood having changed completely in a single moment's time, and she buried her hand in the sack that was hanging on her hip only to pull out of it seconds later a human heart. "Do you see? Do you see how beautiful it is? Raw, and still bleeding! Look, the blood is now running down my arm…" she described as she slowly raised her hand. "Oh, look! Scarlet droplets on the floor, on the table… so wonderful!" she sang and danced a circle around herself, holding the heart high.

"You mustn't ruin it", the Cat reprimanded her. "You mustn't disappoint Llorona. She looked after you and taught you her wisdom for a reason. She is your Mistress and She depends on you to awaken her. How many times must I tell you this?" the Cat scolded her.

"Oh yes, yes… I'm so sorry, Cat, you are so right. Llorona is waiting for me, always waiting for me… But how many hearts do we have already? Mmm?" she wondered and turned her gaze to the shelves on the wall, her hands placed on her hips and her head cocked to the left.

"It's ninety-eight with the heart you extracted tonight. Only one more remains. And you cannot fail now. You are so close to success", the Cat said with emphasis. "Did you make sure that no one saw you? That no one followed you? You are so careless and I worry that the Enemies will find you one day! They have spies everywhere!" it hissed.

"Oh Cat, I know the Enemies are hunting me! I have seen them but they haven't seen me! They are like ghosts, they move in the shadows, they think I can't see them, but I know they are there! I know they want me! But they haven't seen me! I escaped!" she claimed.

"Keep your eyes open. They might be just outside the door now and listening to you", the Cat warned her.

"Are they listening to me?" she worried and quickly ran to the door to make sure no one was outside. She opened it and looked around carefully. She was all alone. Somewhat calmed, she went back in.

"No one is here. Good", the Cat said, but then its voice changed into an accusing tone, all of a sudden. "But tell me Elvira, do you ever think about the men you've killed? Do you ever look back at your horrible actions? Do the images of the men you've killed ever return to your mind? Do the scenes of their death replay before your eyes? Do you remember the last look on their faces before they died? Do you?" it attacked the witch with questions.

"Stop it, Cat, stop! What does it matter? I don't care! They are nothing. They had to die. They had what the Mistress wants, they had what She needs. And I have to bring her what she needs! That night, when I saw the shooting star, I knew it was Her calling to me, and my purpose was revealed to me! And you, Cat, you've been here all along, telling me what to do, giving me Her messages! Don't turn on me now!" she said angrily and brought her clenched fist hard against the desk's surface, trying to shut the Cat's voice. A puff of dust rose from it, causing Elvira to cough.

"That's right", it replied rather unaffected by the scene she made. "I've been here all along and passing on to you Llorona's messages. She has just had another one for you. She demands that you stop fooling around and that you take care of the heart. It's time for the ritual. She will be very angry if you ruin it", the Cat told her in an imposing tone.

"Oh yes, yes… Time for the ritual, time to bless the heart, time to curse the heart… Do you remember those nuns, Cat?" her thoughts strayed. "You must remember them. You came to me some time before they sent me away. Foolish nuns! Ignorant nuns! Curse them for they couldn't see my high purpose! I know that they were talking about me in secret! They thought I didn't understand, they thought I was a fool. They were conspiring against me! They hated me! They wanted to kill me! Jealous nuns! Foolish nuns!" the witch hissed, going on with her ranting. "But I got something from them, something useful", she said with a giggle and took an iron cross out of the desk's drawer. It was old and rusty. With the greatest care she placed it in an upside-down position and made sure it was standing still before she reached for the shelves. "Now now… A little of this, and a little of that… hmm… Do I use mandrake too? Oh yes, yes, I do…" she continued talking to herself as she kept choosing which jars and bottles to use for the ritual.

Several minutes later she decided that she had collected everything necessary, so she pushed aside the papers on the desk and placed every chosen object upon it. Then she sat on the chair and looked at them.

"You have everything necessary. Start", the Cat urged her.

"Hmm… yes…" she responded passively, but her attention and her mind seemed to be distracted.

"What are you thinking of, Elvira? Perform the ritual!" the Cat's voice demanded.

"I can't. I don't know how to. I don't… I don't… You're… Not… Who are you? It's not me, it's someone else… When the star fell, I knew it… This voice… this voice… this voice…" she whispered her incoherent thoughts. "Cat…? Where are you? I can't see you. Why do you never stay somewhere where I can see you?" she wondered. But the Cat did not reply. Instead, there was perfect silence inside her head.

Deciding not to worry about the Cat's disappearance, as she was sure it would return when it pleased, she turned her eyes back on the objects on the table. All the jars she had chosen were there, and so was the man's heart. Elvira tried to press her mind to remember how to perform the ritual, but the only thing she could reach inside her head was a meaningless void, as if she was incapable of forming any thought and all she knew had been erased from her memory. She stared at the objects and tried to focus at them, but the more she stared at them, the more futile they seemed to her. An internal emptiness slowly took over her, but it didn't upset her too much; it happened to her often. She was sure that nothing else mattered to her except for her purpose, but even this sometimes felt totally foreign and pointless to her. At times like now, she was unable to connect to it sentimentally. At times like now she knew that she could be vulnerable to those who might seek to terminate her purpose. She would just sit on her chair or lie in her bed for hours and hours, motionless and rigid. Then usually the Cat would talk to her, and even though she would try to ignore it sometimes, she would usually hearken to its words. And this time was no exception.

"Elvira… Elvira… Wake up", suddenly the Cat's voice spoke.

"I am awake", she replied bluntly. "Or am I not?" she wondered.

"What are you doing sitting here? Do you want to fail? Do you want Her to be angry at you? Open the door and look outside! The sun has risen! You had all night to perform the ritual but you didn't, you ignorant, ruthless witch! You aren't worthy of serving Her!" the Cat yelled at her in anger and disdain.

"Stop it! Stop! I'm not listening to you! I'm not listening!" Elvira cried and covered her ears with her hands.

"What are you doing, are you covering your ears?" the Cat mocked her and laughed sarcastically in her head. "Whatever you do, you will always hear me. I am your guide, I am enlightened, I deliver Her messages, and I am inside you!" it declared triumphantly.

"Get out of my head!" Elvira shrieked and shut her eyes close. She was holding her breath, expecting a heavy reprimand, but none came. Slowly she uncovered her ears and looked around. There was silence only disturbed by the morning song of the birds. "Cat…?" she asked weakly. There was no reply. She took a shallow breath and shifted in the chair, casting a glance at the heart and jars on the desk. Then her eyes moved to the closet next to the desk. She slowly walked towards it and opened it. Therein stood ninety-seven jars, on three shelves, with thirty-three jars on each shelf, and again on each shelf the jars were arranged in three rows of eleven jars each. Each jar contained a rotting heart, floating in a mysterious yellowish liquid. The plan was to collect ninety-nine hearts, as Llorona required. There were two places in the front row of the upper shelf waiting for their respective jars, so that the number would be complete. With a sigh followed by a loud laughter Elvira shut the closet's wings close violently, causing the glass jars inside to dance for a second. Then she approached the desk and took the heart in her gloved hand. She eyed it curiously for a moment, and then she smiled. She sat down and took a paper, a pen and ink. She started drawing a careful image of it, paying great attention to every detail, to every artery and vein, the muscle structure and the shading.

It was midday when Elvira was done with the drawing. Feeling tired, she opened the desk's drawer and placed the paper inside. Ninety-seven other pieces of paper lay beneath it, each of them with the image of a heart drawn upon it. She locked the paper inside and then made for her bed. She lifted the corner of the mattress and took out an old notebook with a torn leather cover. She flipped through the yellowish, ink-stained pages until she found what she was looking for. It was an old journal entry, not written by her hand. She read the content with great interest and curiosity, as if she was reading it for the first time. Smiling wickedly, she nodded to herself. Now she knew what she had to do. Whispering thanks to Llorona, she slowly closed the diary and placed it back under the mattress. She might know what to do now, but she had to wait for the nightfall. Feeling a sudden exhaustion taking over her, she let herself collapse on the bed, and didn't bother to pull the blanket over her body. She remained still as if lifeless until sleep closed her eyelids.

**Author's note:**_ As you may all have realised, Elvira is not what you'd call a plainly evil character. There's something wrong with her, and it has to do with her sanity. Perhaps some of you understood or suspected it, but I will state it clearly so that no one is confused about her behavior: Elvira is schizophrenic. In a nutshell, and in a rough approach, these are the characteristics:_

_a) She is having auditory illusions (she hears a voice, the Cat)._

_b) She has one or more delusional ideas (her purpose and service to Llorona, her belief that the nuns conspired against her, her fear of the Enemies etc)._

_c) Her main delusion appeared like a revelation to her out of a non-important event (the shooting star and the realization of her purpose)._

_d) Her process of thought and speech may present anomalies (incoherency, abrupt stop of thought and speech, distraction etc)._

_e) Her feelings might change abruptly or be totally opposite to the situation, or even be completely absent._

_f) She might take uncomfortable physical positions and remain rigid for hours._

_g) Numerous minor characteristics._

_I thought I should explain these things here so that it will be easier for you to follow on with the story and understand her character better. I will try to not make her personality too disorganized, because then she would be too hard to understand. Also, the nature and origin of her witchcraft are yet to be explored, and so is her past, so be patient please. Last but not least, llorona is a Spanish word and in a free translation it means "a crying woman". It is pronounced yoROna. Do you think Llorona has been a true person? Or do you think she exists only in Elvira's imagination? How do you feel about Van Helsing and Livia being set to kill Elvira? Do you feel any sympathy towards her? Please tell me what you think! Your opinion matters._


End file.
